Marsh boat



Nov. 12, 1957 H. J. HOOVER 2,312,737

MARSH BOAT Filed Oct. 12, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

11 5/7072 cf fzoveig H. J. HOOVER Nov. 12, 1957 MARSH BOAT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filedbct. 12. 1956 INVENTOR. 171/1 01? Jflaodez;

Nov. 12, 1957 H. J. HOOVER 2,812,737

' MARSH BOAT Filed Oct. 12, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet s IN VEN TOR.

MARSH BOAT Hilton J. Hoover, Ponchatouia, La.

Application October 12, 1956, Serial No. 615,700

3 Claims. (Cl. 115*1) This invention relates to boats, and more particularly to a boat adapted to operate in open marshes or where the water is quite shallow, as well as in deep water.

The main object of the-invention is to provide a novel and improved marsh boat adapted to operate in marshes, shallow water, and in deep water, as Well as on shore, for example, to climb relatively steep banks, and to provide its own tractive means for loading same on a trailer or for unloading same from a trailer, the boat being relatively simple in construction, being easy to operate, and being arranged for control by a single person.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved marsh boat which is substantially amphibious in that it is provided with means not only for propelling itself in water, but also with means for propelling itself on dry land, such as along shore surfaces, for climbing relatively steep embankments, and for loading itself on a vehicle and unloading itself from a vehicle, the boat being relatively inexpensive to fabricate, being rugged in construction, and being provided with steering means operable by simple manual movements of a control lever.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an improved marsh boat constructed in accordance with the present invention, a portion thereof being shown in vertical cross section;

'Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the rear portion of the boat of Figure 1, taken from the side opposite to the view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the rear portion of the boat of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic top plan view of the rear portion of the boat, as shown in Figure 3, partly in horizontal cross section, and diagrammatically illustrating the operation of the steering mechanism of the boat;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the portion of the boat carrying the steering control means, in the position of Figure 4; t

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure l;

Figure 7 is a side elevational detail view showing the rotor frame and the hinged connections of one of the side bars thereto, forming a part of the marsh boat illustrated in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the rotor employed in the marsh boat of Figures 1 to 7;

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the marsh boat, showing the rotor in a lowered position with respect to the stern of the boat, whereby said rotor may be employed as a tractive means for hauling the boat on dry land.

Referring to the drawings, the improved marsh boat is designated generally at 11 and comprises a main body 12 of generally conventional construction having the side walls 13 and 14, the stern 15, and the bottom wall 16.

Designated at 17 is a horizontal, transversely extend- "ice ingshaft member which is rotatably mounted on the top edges of the side walls 13 and 14, as by suitable supporting bearings 18 and 19, said shaft projecting on opposite sides of the side walls 13 and 14. Secured to the stop marginal portion of side wall 13 forwardly of the shaft bearing 18 is a longitudinally extending horizontal sleeve-like bracket 20 in which is slidably positioned a rod member 21 having the vertical, upstanding forward portion 22. Rigidly secured to the end of shaft 17 outwardly adjacent the bearing 18 is an upstanding arm 23, the end of arm 23 being connected to the end of the upstanding member 22 by a link bar 24, whereby the rod 21 is movable longitudinally through the sleeve member 20 responsive to rotation of shaft 17. Shaft 17 is provided with the upwardly extending control lever 25 located inwardly adjacent the wall 14, as shown in Figure 4, for manually rotating said shaft.

Rigidly secured to the top marginal portion of wall 14 rearwardly adjacent the bearing 19 is a second longitudinally extending sleeve-like bracket 26 which slidably receives a rod member 27. The rod member 27 is pivotally connected at 28 to a side bar 29 extending longitudinally and rearwardly of the main body 12 adjacent the side wall 14. A depending arm 3t; is rigidly secured to the end of the side bar 29 below the pivotal connection 28, as shown in Figure 2, and the end of the depending arm 39 is connected by a link bar 31 to the end of a depending arm 32 rigidly secured to the outwardly projecting portion of shaft 17 adjacent the bearing 19.

As will be readily apparent from Figure 2, the rotation of lever 25 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2, causes the rod 27 to be moved forwardly in the sleevelike bracket 26, and simultaneously causes the rod 1nember 21 to be moved rearwardly in its sleeve-like bracket 22. Rotation of the lever 25 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2, produces the reverse movement of the rod members 27 and 21.

Pivotally connected at 33 to the rear end of rod mem-. ber 21 is a second side bar 34- which extends longitudinally and rearwardly, adjacent the side wall 13, similar to the side bar 29.

Designated generally at 35 is a cylindrical hollow buoyant rotor comprising the cylindrical hollow body 36 on which are secured a plurality of generally V-shaped relatively wide cleat members 37 spaced evenly around the periphery of the cylindrical body as, as is clearly shown in Figures 1, 2, 8 and 9, the apex portions of the cleats 37 being provided with outwardly projecting, generally triangular stern members 33 which extend substantially tangentially to the cylindrical member 36, as is clearly illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 9. The rotor 35 is provided with the axial shaft 39 whose opposite end portions, shown at 41, are journaled in respective bearing blocks 42 and 43 carried at the lower side portions of a frame 44 which overlies the rotor 35 and extends parallel to the axis thereof.

The frame 44- comprises the top supporting plates 46, the downwardly and inwardly inclined strut: members 47 connecting the corners of the supporting plates 46 to their respective bearing blocks 42 and 43, and the intermediate strut members 48 connecting the intermediate portions of the side margins of the supporting plates 46 totheir respective bearing blocks 42 and 43, as shown in Figure 7. V

The side bar 34 is hingedly connected at its rear end to the bearing block 42, as shown at 49, so that the frame 44 may pivot around a vertical axis with respect to the end of side bar An inclined strut 59 is hingedly connected to the intermediate portion of the side bar 34and extends upwardly and rearwardly toward the frame 44, as shown in Figure 1, the ends of the strut 50 being hingedly connected at 5'1 to the top portion of the vertical' strut 48 associated with bearing block 42, forming a hinged connection aligned with the hinged connection 49. Similarly, the end of the side bar 29 is hing y nected at 52 to the bearing blck'43, providing a pivotal connection whereby frame 44 may pivot on a'vertical axis with respect to the end of the side bar 29, said side bar having an inclined strut 53 rigidly connected to its intermediate portion and extending upwardly and rearwardly therefrom. The rear end of the inclined stmt 53 is hingedly connected at 54 to the upper portion of the vertical strut 43 associated with the bearing block 43, on an axis aligned with the hinge connection 52.

From the above, it will be apparent that the frame 44 may be rotated in response .to rotation of the control lever 25, whereby the rotor 35 may be similarly rotated, to change the direction of propulsion thereof with respect to the main body 12 of the boat.

Mounted on the supporting plate 46 is a gasoline engine 55 whose output shaft is drivingly coupled to the input shaft of a conventional speed-changing transmission 57 mounted on the plates 46, the transmission 57 having the output shaft 56. The shaft 56 extends over the end portion 41 of the rotor shaft 39, and is drivingly coupled thereto by a sprocket chain 58 engaging on respective sprocket wheels provided on shaft 56 and on shaft portion 41, as is clearly apparent from Figure 6.

The control lever 59 of the transmission unit 57 is located adjacent the stern of the main body 12 of the boat, so that the occupant of the boat may readily control the control lever 59 to change speeds or to reverse the direction of rotation of rotor 35.

Designated at 60 is a transversely extending shaft which is rotatably mounted to suitable bearing brackets 61, 61 rigidly secured on the engine base 62 and projecting rearwardly therefrom. The shaft 60 has rigidly secured thereto a forwardly extending control lever 63 which extends towards and terminates over the stern 15 of the boat body 12. Rigidly secured to shaft 64 are a pair of depending arms 64, 64 through which rc-tatably extends the trans verse bight portion of a U-shaped rod 65, the side arms 66, 66 of said U-shaped rod 65 extending forwardly and being pivotally connected to respective rear arms 66', 66 of a pair of bell crank levers 67, 67 pivoted to the opposite sides of the forward portion of supporting plates 46. The forward arms 68 of the bell crank levers 67 are connected by respective chains 69 to bracket member 79 secured to the opposite side of the boat body 12 adjacent the stern 15 thereof and projecting rearwardly therefrom, as shown in Figure 9.

As will be readily apparent, when the control lever 63 is rotated, the rotation of shaft 60 is transmitted by arms 64 and the U-shaped rod 65 to the bell crank levers 67, causing said bell crank levers to be rotated. Clockwise rotation of the lovers 67, as viewed in Figure 9, develop tension in the chains 65 whereby the same portions of the boat body 12 is elevated with respect to the frame 44. Thus, when it is desired to lower the rotor With respect to the frame, as may be necessary when the boat is "to be operated on dry land, lever 63 is rotated downwardly to cause the rotor to be depressed in the manner above described.

In operation, the rotor 35 is normally driven in a clockwise direction, :as viewed in Figure 1, providing the propulsion of the boat through marshes or other shallow water locations. As will be readily understood, the same action occurs when the boat is traveling in deep water, since the cleats 37 of the rotor will develop propulsion 7 force regardless of the depth of the water over which the boat is traveling. Steering is accomplished by means of the steering lever 25 in the manner above described, since by rotating the lever in one direction or the other, the rotor may be turned with respect to the boat to change the directio'nof propulsion relative to the boat.

When the boat is to be moved on shore, for example,

up an embankment, or on to a trailer or similar vehicle, the direction of rotation of the rotor 35 is reversed by means of the conventional transmission unit 57 and the rotor is depressed with respect to the stern of the boat by means of the control lever 63, as above described, whereby the rotor engages the ground and drags the boat body 12 along the ground in the manner of a tractor. Under these conditions, the boat may be steered by means of the steering control lever 25 in the same manner as above described, since this enables the rotor to be rotated in a horizontal plane with respect to the boat body 12, to provide the ability to make turns at the control of direction of movement of the boat.

While a specific embodiment of an improved marsh boat has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a boat, a pair of longitudinally and rearwardly extending side bars, means slidably connecting said side bars with respective opposite sides of the boat, a transverse frame disposed rearwardly of the boat, means hingedly connecting the rear ends of said side bars to the respective opposite sides of said frame, a cylindrical, hollow bouyant rotor journaled transversely in said frame, an engine mounted on said-frame, means drivingly and reversibly coupling said engine to said rotor, propulsion blade elements mounted on the periphery of said rotor, and steering means mounted on the boat and connected to said side bars, said steering means being formed and arranged to simultaneously move said side bars in opposite directions, whereby to rotate said frame substantially horizontallyand to change the direction of propulsion of the boat.

2. In a boat, a pair of longitudinally and rearwardly extending side bars, means slidably connecting said side bars with respective opposite sides of the boat, a transverse frame disposed rearwardly of the boat, means hingedly connecting the rear ends of' said side bars to the respective opposite sides of said frame, a cylindrical, hollow buoyant rotor journaled transversely in said frame, an engine mounted on said frame, means drivingly coupling said engine to said rotor, propulsion blade elements mounted on the periphery of said rotor, steering means mounted on the boat and connected to said side bars, said steering means being formed andarranged to simultaneously move said side bars in opposite directions, whereby to rotate said frame substantially horizontally and to change the direction of propulsion of the boat, and jack means interconnecting said frame and the rear portion of the boat and being formed and arranged to raise and lower said frame relative to said rear portion of the boat.

3. In a boat, a pair of longitudinally and rearwardly extending side bars, means slidably and pivotally connecting said side bars with respective opposite sides of the boat, a transverse frame disposed rearwardly of the boat, means hingedly connecting the rear ends of said side bars with respective opposite sides of the frame, a cylindrical, hollow bouyant rotor journaled transversely in said frame, propulsion blade elements mounted on the periphery of said rotor, ground engaging lugs mounted on and projecting tangentially from said-propulsion blade elements, an engine mounted on said frame, means drivingly and reversibly coupling said engine to said rotor, steering means mounted on the boat and connected to said side bars, said steering means being formed and arranged to simultaneously move said side bars in opposite directions, whereby to rotate said frame substantially horizontally and to change the direction of propulsion of the boat, and jack means interconnecting said frame and the rear portion of the boat and being formed and arranged to raise and lower said frame relative to said rear portion of the boat.

References Cited in the file of this patent 6 Storey Apr. 29, 1952 Thornburg June 28, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 19, 1921 

